Automobile heater



1942. H. J.'DE N. McCQLLUM E 7 I AUTOMOBILE HEATER Filed Jan. '2, 11.940Z'Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan.27, 1942- H. J. D INJMQCOLLUM ETAL I 2,270,955

.mToMoBI E HEATER Filed Jan. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 27,1942 AUTOIVIOBILE HEATER Henr J. De N. McCollum and Thomas F. Spackman,Chicago, 111.; said Spackman assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Virginia Application January 2, 1940,Serial No. 312,064

6 Claims.

Our invention relates generally to automobile heating systems, and moreparticularly to improvements in the fuel supply system for auto- 1mobile heaters of the internal combustion type, and for the supply ofliquid fuel to other fuel consuming devices which are intermittentlyoperated.

Some difiiculty llhs been experienced in the operation of fuel supplysystems for automobile heaters of the internal combustion type becauseof the fact that the heaters are ordinarily not used throughout thesummer, and therefore there is a tendency for the controlling valves toadhere to their seats due to the gumming effect of stagnant gasoline.Thus, any auxiliary float bowl provided for maintaining an auxiliarysupply of gasoline for the heater is likely, during the summer months,to become inoperative due to the formation of deposits of gum which formon the moving parts when the gasoline in the auxiliary reservoir ispermitted to stagnate for an extended period of time.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide an improved floatcontrolled auxiliary reservoir for maintaining a supply of gasolineavailable for consumption by an automobile heater or similar fuelconsuming device.

A further object is to provide an improved float controlled auxiliaryreservoir in which the fuel is caused to flow through the reservoirirrespective of whether or not any fuel is being withdrawn from thereservoir by the fuel consuming device.

A further object is to provide an improved float controlled auxiliaryreservoir for automobile heaters of the internal combustion type whichis simple in construction, will operate effectively over long periods oftime, which may be economically manufactured, and which may be easilyinstalled.

Other objects will appear from the following description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of the fuelfeeding system of an automobile equipped with a heater of the internalcombustion type;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the auxiliary floatcontrolled reservoir provided for maintaining a supply of gasoline forthe heater; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the auxiliaryfloat controlled reservoir taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, a heater i is illustrated as being mounted upon thedash I2 of an automobile, the heater being of the internal combustiontype, such as disclosed, for example, in the co-pending application ofHenry J. De N. McCollum, Serial No. 120,523,'fi ed January 14, 1937. v

The heater includes a carbureting device I4, to which fuel is suppliedthrough a conduit- Hi, the conduit [6 being connected to an elbowfitting I8 forming part of the auxiliary float controlled reservoir 20.The reservoir 20 has a T inlet fitting 24 secured to the top thereof,one branch of the fitting being connected by a conduit 26 to a fuel pump28, while the other branch of the T 24 is connected by a conduit 30 withthe engine carbureting device 32. i The fuel pump 28 draws gasoline froma main tank 34 through a conduit 36 which is connected by a T fitting 38with -a strainer 40, the strainer 40 being connected directly to thefuel pump 28. The depending branch of the T 38 is connected by a conduit42 with an outlet fitting 44 secured in the bottom of the auxiliary fuelreservoir 20.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the auxiliary fuel reservoir 20comprises a cylindrical shell 46 which has a bottom 48 and a flangedring 50 welded or otherwise suitably secured thereto. A flanged top 52issecured to the ring 50 by a plurality of screws 54, a gasket 56 beinginterposed between the top 52 and the ring 50 to seal the joint.

The depending branch 58 of the' T 24 is internally threaded to receive aflow restricting plug 60 which has a relatively minute passageway 62extending therethrough. The branch 58 is threaded in an inlet valvefitting 64 which extends through the top 52 of the reservoir and issuitably secured to the top as by welding or soldering, and has an inletport 66 which is adapted to be closed by an inlet valve 68 formed in theupper end of a stem 10. A float 12 is secured to the stem Ill so as toraise and lower the stem in accordance with the raising and lowering ofthe levelof gasoline contained in'the reservoir. The lower end of thestem 10 has an outlet valve 12 formed thereon for cooperation with anoutlet port 14 formed in the outlet fitting 44. The flttings 44 and 64are suitably formed adjacent the ports 14 and 66 to provide guides forthe valve stem 10. There is suflicient clearance between the stem andthe guiding surfaces to permit free flow of gasoline between the stemand its guides. The top cover 52 has a vent port 16 formed therein whichis protected by an apertured inverted cup 18, the lower edge of whichfits in a suitable depression formed in the top 52, and is securedthereto by solder. The elbow I8 is threaded in the top 52, being lockedtherein by a nut 80 and lock washer 82, the nut 86 being covered by anapertured protector 84which prevents foreign matter from entering an airadmission opening 86 formed in the elbow l8. The elbow [8 has a tube 88secured thereto and depending into the reservoir to a point adjacentassociated parts are more fully disclosed in the co-pending applicationof Henry J. De N. Mc-

Collum, Serial No. 177,075, filed November 29.

1937. It is suflicient for the purposes of description of the presentinvention to understand that gasoline flows to the carbureting device Mof long periods of time, as would be the case durin 7 the summer monthswhen the heater would not the heater through the tube 88, elbow I8, andconduit l6, having admixed therewith a certain proportion of air whichis admitted through-the aperture 86 of the elbow I8. It will beunderstood that the sub-atmospheric pressure in the heater is obtainedby virtue of its connection with the intake manifold 90 of the engine bymeans of a conduit 92.

The bottom 48 of the reservoir is provided with a, drain openingnormally closed by a screw 94, a seal being effected by suitable gasket96.

Whenever the automobile engine is being operated, the fuel pump 28 willforce gasoline through the conduit 26, the horizontal passageway throughthe T 24 and conduit 36 to the engine carbure tor 32. Thus, under normalconditions of operation, gasoline will flow continuously past the port62 in the plug 60, and thence through the inlet port 66 to the auxiliaryreservoir, providing the level of gasoline therein is below thepredetermined operating level desired. Under these circumstancs, thefloat 12 will be in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, and airdisplaced by the entering gasoline may escape to the atmosphere throughthe vent port 16. Under these circumstances, it will be noted that theoutlet valve 12 rests upon its seat so that the level of the gasoline inthe reservoir. will gradually rise 7 1 the fuel pump 28. Thus, the levelof the gasoline in the auxiliary reservoir will be lowered until thefloat 12 again drops to' open the inlet valve 68.

From the above description, it will be clear that r the gasoline withinthe auxiliary reservoir will be maintained within close limits at apredetermined level, the extent of possible variations in the levelbeing determined by the distance between the valve 68 and its seat atthe inlet port 66 when the float is in the position in which it is shownin Fig. 3. Whenever the engine is in operation, the float will thus moveup and down, and by this movement will maintain the level of thegasoline in the reservoir at the required level. Due to the fact thatgasoline is continuously flowing through the auxiliary reservoir duringthe periods of operation of the automobile, the gasoline in thereservoir will at all times be relatively fresh and will not have thetendency to gum up the valves, as might readily occur if the gasolinewere permitted to stagnate in the reservoir for be in operation. Thus,the difficulty occasionally encountered in the past of having the floatcontrolled valve gum to its seat due to non-use of the heater isavoided. I

The size of the restriction port 62 in the plug 60 is sufliciently smallthat the amount of gasoline flowing therethrough is not great enough toplace an appreciable load upon the fuel pump,.

or to interfere with the supply of gasoline to the engine carburetor. Bymaking the inlet port 66 sufliciently small, the plug 66, with itsrestricted port 62, could be omitted. However, it is desirable that theport 66 be made relatively large so as to facilitate the manufacture ofthe inlet valve fitting 64 and its valve 68. Furthermore, a supply'offresh gasoline is, at all times available for consumption by'the heaterso that difliculties in heater operation due to supplying stagnantgasoline thereto are completely avoided.

If the inlet to the reservoir is sufliciently restricted, it isunnecessary to provide an inlet valve. 'Thus, if the port 62 is madesufficiently small relative to the size of the outlet port 14, the valve68 and its port 66 may be omitted. Under these conditions, the upper endof the valve stem 10 will function merely as a guide for the float 12,and the upward movement of the latter may be limited by its engagementwith the lower end of the fitting 64, or other suitable stop means maybe provided. The relative sizes of the ports 62 and 16 should be suchthat under the differential pressures existing in the system the fuelmay flow through the outlet at a rate several times as great as it canflow through the inlet.

If this latter condition is satisfied, there will be no danger offlooding the reservoir even though the outlet should be partiallyobstructed temporarily.

Similarly, some of the advantages of the invention may be obtained byproviding a restriction in the outlet of the reservoir and controllingthe flow of the fuel into the reservoir by means of an inlet valveoperated by the float. In such system; the fuel will flow through thereservoir continuously, but the possibility of flooding the 'reservoirdue to accidental stoppage would be greater than in the'devicespreviously described.

While we have shown and described a particular embodiment of ourinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousmodifications and variations may be made without departing from theunderlying principles of our invention. We therefore desire, by thefollowing claims, to include within the scope of our invention all suchmodifications and variations by which substantially the results of ourinvention may be obtained by the use of substantially the same orequivalent means.

We claim:

1. In a fuel supply system for an automobile heater of the internalcombustion type which is mounted upon an automobile having an internalcombustion engine, a carburetor, a. fuel pump, and a conduit connectingsaid fuel pump with said carburetor; the combination of an auxiliaryreservoir having an inlet port and an outlet port, means for withdrawingfuel from said reservoir to supply said heater, means connecting theinlet port of said reservoir to said conduit, a conduit connecting saidoutlet port of said reservoir with the inlet side of said fuel pump, afloat in said reservoir, a valve in said inlet port and a valve in saidoutlet port, said valves being operated by said float in a manner toopen the inlet port and close the outlet port when the fuel in saidreservoir drops below a predetermined level and to close said inlet portand open said outlet port when-the fuel in said reservoir rises above apredetermined level.

2. In a fuel supply system for a fuel consuming device subject tointermittent operation, an auxiliary fuel reservoir having an inlet portand an outlet port, an inlet valve and an outlet valve for controllingthe flow of fuel through said ports respectively, a float operable toclose said inlet valve and open said outlet valve when the fuel in saidreservoir rises above a predetermined level and to open said inlet valveand close-said outlet valve when the fuel in said reservoir drops belowa predetermined level, a fuel pump having an and an outlet at the bottomthereof, means for conducting fuel from said reservoir to the fuelconsuming device, conduitsrespectively connect- .ing the outlet of saidfuel pump with the inlet of said reservoir and the outlet of, saidreservoir with the inlet of said fuel pump, and float controlled meanswithin said reservoir for maintaining the fuel level therein betweenpredetermined limits, said means operating to permit circulation of fuelthrough said reservoir whenever the fuel pump is in operation.

4. In a fuel supply system for a fuel consuming device subject tointermittent operation and used in conjunction with an internalcombustion engine having a carburetor, a fuel pump, a fuel supply meanssupplying fuel to said pump, and a conduit connecting said fuel pumpwith said carburetor; the combination of an auxiliary reservoir havingan inlet port at the top and an outlet port at the bottom thereof, astem having a valve at each end, said valves being alternatelycooperable with saidports upon vertical reciprocation thereof, a floatsecured to said stem intermediate the ends thereof, a conduit connectingsaid inlet port with said conduit connecting said fuel pump with saidcarburetor, a conduit connecting said outlet port with said fuel supplymeans, and means for withdrawing fuel from said reservoir for use insaid fuel consuming device.

5. In a fuel supply system for a fuel consuming device subject tointermittent operation and the outlet of said reservoir and the inletofsaid fuel pump, an inlet valve for controlling the flow 'of fuelthrough said reservoir inlet conduit, an

outlet valve for controlling, the flow of fuel through said reservoiroutlet conduit, a float operable to close said inlet valve and open saidoutlet valve when the fuel in said reservoir rises above a predeterminedlevel and to open said inlet valve and close said outlet valve when thefuel in said reservoir drops,'below a predetermined level, and means forsupplying fuel from said reservoir to said fuel consuming device.

6. In a fuel supply system for a heater of the internal combustion typeused in connection with an internal combustion engine having acarburetor, a fuel supply. a fuel pump having an inlet and an outlet, aconduit connecting said fuel supply with said inlet, and a conduitconnecting said outlet with said carburetor: the combination ofan-auxiliary reservoir having an inlet port and an outlet port, meansfor supplying fuel from said reservoir to said heater, means connectinthe inlet port of said reservoir with the outlet of said fuel pump, aconduit connecting the outlet port of said reservoir with the inlet ofsaid fuel pump, and means for controlling the flow of fuel through saidinlet port and outlet port so as to maintain the fuel level in saidreservoir substantially at a p asgg g 35k MCCOLLUM 1 OMAS F. sPA'cKMAN.

